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Simplot and Coles have agreed a supply deal under which farmers in Tasmania, NSW and Queensland will grow millions of extra vegetables over the next eight years.
With the supply contract to run until 2024, Coles has committed to sourcing an additional six million kilograms a year of Australian grown vegetables that were previously sourced overseas.
The extra demand for Simplot vegetables represents a 25 per cent increase in the volume of Australian grown frozen vegetables supplied to Coles.
The new contract brings the volume that Coles sources from Simplot to 56 million kilograms of Australian grown vegetables and potatoes each year.
“The new contract will benefit more than 240 growers in Tasmania, NSW and Queensland by providing long-term security for these growers and their communities,” Simplot Managing Director Terry O’Brien said. “It means growers will need to plant more crops so Simplot can supply an extra six million kilograms of Australian-grown produce and this will benefit all those who contribute to the manufacturing of Aussie-grown products, including site workers, truck drivers and regionally based service providers.”
Simplot produces 30 Coles Brand frozen vegetable and potato products as well as a broad range of Coles Brand products in chilled and frozen fish, chilled and ambient sauces, chilled pasta, meals and Australian grown beetroot. Simplot also supplies Coles with more than 200 of its own branded products including Birds Eye, Edgell, Leggo’s and John West.


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Finally after the long wait Google India has declared the results of Google Maps India Mapathon contest for 2013.
India Mapathon 2013 contests started on February 2013 and ended on March 25th where millions of updates were made to Google Maps for India by Indian People.
In this Mapathon contest, there were over 75,000 participants who made more than 2 million contributions to Google Maps.
Awards that were declared to be given were so lucrative that it drove many people attention to do the job they know better than any other.
The delay of Mapathon results 2013 were delayed due to the intervention Survey Of India (SOI) who expressed concerns over the data added during the contest. Survey Of India wanted to review the data added by the people so that sensitive data couldn’t be published openly.
Earlier on Jul 24 2013, Google India expressed their reasons for the results announcement delay due to the facts mentioned above.
Some of the top scorer who made the maximum edits are assumed to crossed the mark of 30K and further. THough exact scores has not been displayed yet.
Prizes that were to be given in the contest were
10 Samsung Galaxy Note 800 Android Tablets
40 Samsung Galaxy S II GT I9100 Android Phones
50 Flipkart gift coupons worth Rs. 5000 each
1000 Google Mapathon 2013 t-shirts and certificates
For the participants who have won T shirts has been asked to fill out the form with T shirt size, name and address. To fill the form go to http://goo.gl/7DwJJM. Last date to fillout this form is 10:00 pm IST on 10th November, 2013. Those who do not fill out the form will be sent Large t-shirt, and the certificate to the name and address they provided upon registration.
So finally the award is coming. Enjoy your award after the hardwork. Though mapathon is over, still if you wan to make volunteer contribution to Google maps. Visit http://www.google.co.in/mapmaker.

domain: news


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Fox Trading has appointed Ross Michalski as its new Head of Sales.
Ross joins the island’s leading wholesale supplier following lengthy experience working within the hospitality sector, making him well placed to understand the sector’s evolving challenges and needs.
Ross will be working with customers across the Channel Islands, building customer relations and improving satisfaction with Fox’s services. He will also be helping local businesses to improve their offering through access to the latest products, trends and cutting-edge technology. Ross hopes to provide a support to companies as they recover from the pandemic, offering them simple business solutions when they need it the most.
Ross told Channel Eye: “I am very excited to be joining Fox at this time, when the company’s role is more important within the hospitality sector than ever before. I have always admired Fox’s innovation, quality and accessibility from the outside and am now thrilled to be part of a great infrastructure that has the potential to grow and grow. I look forward to keeping Fox at the forefront of customer’s minds and forging new relationships through our proactive and reliable service.”
Martina McGibney, Managing Director of Fox Trading Limited, said: “We are pleased to welcome Ross to the Fox family and hope to use his first-hand knowledge from hospitality to better inform the services we provide.
“We believe that the last year has not only thrown us challenges, but incredible opportunities to do things differently and we are looking forward to a busy and successful season for Jersey’s hospitality sector. We will be working hard with our partners to highlight this fantastic industry and what a wonderful place Jersey is to visit and enjoy.”
Fox Trading is a wholesale supplier to retail, hospitality, catering and corporate sectors. Their products include packaging, hygiene and cleaning equipment, confectionary, alcohol and kitchen and tableware.


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It is not uncommon for financial service providers to accept Bitcoin payments, but it is rather uncommon for Bitcoin exchanges to add a traditional payment solution after quite some time. That being said, Bitcoin London has decided to add Skrill support as of today, giving Bitcoin sellers an additional payment option for withdrawals. But that doesn’t make the service legitimate all of a sudden.
Also read: Bitcoin VPS Review – Cinfu
Bitcoin London Looks Rather Suspicious
Any website claiming to buy Bitcoin at the exact market price – in exchange for PayPal or other online payment methods – is rather fishy, but some sites will even offer to buy digital currency at a small premium rate. In the case of Bitcoin London, they are paying a 1% higher Bitcoin price compared to competitors. However, every transaction is subject to a small fee of US$6.
What makes Bitcoin London somewhat appealing to novice Bitcoin users is how they claim to pay through PayPal, Skrill, or Bank Transfer. The first two payment methods are subject to fraud and chargebacks, whereas bank transfers can be sent from a hacked account. Granted, this latter option is rather unlikely, but it is not entirely impossible.
Moreover, there is no verification needed to sell Bitcoin to this exchange, which also means there will be no paper trail of the transaction ever taking place. That is, other than the blockchain transaction, but that might not be enough to file a police report if push comes to shove.
Although there might be nothing wrong with the Bitcoin London service at first glance, there are no reviews to be found on this platform. That is rather worrying for a platform that should attract a lot of international users, considering they support withdrawals in various fiat currencies.
Last but not least, there is company information on the website and in the WHOIS records, but the address does not resemble a building where such a prominent service would be housed. Plus, there is no company registration number to be found anywhere, making the whole platform look even more suspicious.
Readers are advised to tread carefully when dealing with this website!
If you liked this article follow us on Twitter @themerklenews and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest bitcoin and altcoin price analysis and the latest cryptocurrency news.


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Canada's national mining industry group is hailing the historic Canada-European trade agreement as one that will be most beneficial to the sector.
MAC president-CEO Pierre Gratton said his industry group is “highly supportive” of the trade agreement.
Gratton called the agreement “a significant step forward that...will eliminate existing European tariffs on Canadian mineral products, help facilitate labour mobility, and encourage European investment in the Canadian mining sector.”
The European Union is Canada's second largest export market for Canadian metals, third largest market for non-metals, and the fourth largest market for mineral fuels. Canada annual exports about $20 billion worth of metal and mineral products to the EU, led by precious gems and metals. Other key exports are gold, nickel, diamonds, aluminum and iron ore.
The new agreement at implementation elimination of tariffs to raw mineral and mineral products on aluminum; nickel; non-ferrous metals like copper, zinc, lead and tin; and iron and steel products.


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GERMANY: DC exec says MMC Fuso plans will be decided upon within weeks
Dow Jones reports that DC's board member responsible for commercial vehicles has said at the IAA truck show in Hanover that DC's plans for Japanese partner Mitsubishi Motor Co.'s truck-and-bus arm Fuso aren't yet finalised but should be in the next few weeks.
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Brexit Impacts Palm Oil Markets
Malaysian palm oil futures decreased last week, partially as a result of a 0.1% forecasted decline in 2016 global GDP to 3.1%, following the United Kingdom’s vote Friday June 24 to leave the European Union after 43 years. As a result, the Malaysian benchmark palm oil futures for September delivery fell slightly to 2,379 ringgit ($582) per ton on Friday and remained unchanged on Monday.
Other vegetable oils that compete with palm oil also saw a decline in their trading prices. Soybean oil July 2016 contracts also traded down on the Chicago Board of Trade falling 1.9%. Similarly, soybean oil September 2016 contracts on the Dalian Commodity Exchange also fell 1.6%.
For palm oil producers and others, Brexit has the following possible impacts.
Food Labeling Laws
The EU enacted its law on food information to consumers (Regulation EU No 1169/2011) in December 13, 2014. This law – called FIC – requires food producers to disclose the ingredients under exact titles on labeled food. Previously palm oil was listed as a generic ingredient. Since the law was enacted, palm oil is now specifically labeled. This transparent labeling law has had a positive impact on the uptake for certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). With the United Kingdom’s vote to exit the EU, food labeling laws such as the FIC will need to be renegotiated.
UK Sustainable Palm Oil Exports in Question
According to the Department for Environmental, Food & Rural Affairs, United Kingdom, (DEFRA) as of December 2015, 93% of the palm oil imported into the UK was CSPO. However, this figure only includes pure palm oil and does not include consumer goods that contain palm oil.
DEFRA’s analysis shows that, in 2014, UK refiners imported 289,963 metric tons of Segregated and Mass Balance CSPO (excluding derivatives and finished goods). In 2014, UK companies also purchased 106,146 metric tons of palm oil supported by purchases of GreenPalm. Together this accounts for 396,109 metric tons of palm oil.
Comparing DEFRA’s 2009 CSPO baseline for the United Kingdom to its 2014 CSPO imports, United Kingdom market demand for CSPO has grown 255% since 2009.
As of May 2016, CSPO represents 17% of the global market at 11 million metric tons. If for any reason Brexit fallout meant that the UK economy was unable to continue to pursue sustainable palm oil, global demand for CSPO could decrease 4%.


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On June 13 an important decision will be made in regard to the edifice proposed to be erected on North College in Broad Ripple where now reposes the old Minton Shell station.
First, I would like to address media coverage of the May 23 meeting the Broad Ripple Village Association held to let the public know about the plans afoot for development. I previously commented about coverage that seemed to avoid the absolutely worst comment of the evening. A lawyer for Feagre Bakers and Daniels said there was no organic food store in Broad Ripple. This was an untruth. Either the man made the comment out of ignorance, or he chose to lie. Either way, his comment was met with boos and cat-calls. There is a local mini-tabloid, The Broad Ripple Gazette, that covered---on page 9, as if this story is of little interest---the May 23 meeting. In that article the writer implied the people who made noise at that juncture were some sort of troublemakers. The writer of the item did not quote what the lawyer had said to elicit such a response. The article, as has been much of the coverage of the meeting, has been a white-wash of plans for a very ugly structure.
Second, my main point in this blog today is how Whole Foods lives off the public, and not simply by hyping foods as "organic" that might not be "organic," unless one uses a definition different from that of the USDA. "Organic" chemistry is the chemistry of substances that contain carbon. That would be one example, perhaps, to get around the rather strict requirements for designation of a food as "organic." Instead, we should look at the ways in which Whole Foods treats its employees. There is a large turnover rate at Whole Foods. That is an indication workers of the place generally are not happy. Most recently, Whole Foods ballyhooed an employee vote on health insurance packages. The employees got to vote on benefits packages! That's democracy in the work place. Unfortunately, since Whole Foods aggressively shuts down efforts of its employees to unionize, the choices employees were given were pre-determined by management. As one employee noted, "it was management forcing us to accept a benefits cut in order to increase the already massive profits that we create for the company. This mask of democracy is central to the way Whole Foods does business, but it's a mask that workers can increasingly see through."
Who makes up a short-fall of coverage for workers? Taxpayers do so. That is Whole Foods on welfare. If we have single-payer---i.e., socialized---medicine or health care in this country, this aspect of the discussion would be moot.
In any event, Whole Foods also wants welfare in the form of a $5 million subsidy to locate here in Broad Ripple. The local businesses it would hurt---and that is part of the Whole Foods business model---are not the result of a free market competition. If the City subsidizes and $18 billion corporation and a local business folds as a result, that is not a "free" market competition. It is providing an unfair advantage to an already heavily-favored player.


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ActionCOACH welcomes three new recruits to the franchise
support team to ensure over 150 franchise owners continue to be
some of the most satisfied in the UK.
“We’ve had such an uplift in enquiries for the franchise over
the last two years, we wanted to ensure that we maintained the last
few years of fantastic scores we’ve achieved with the Smith &
Henderson Franchisee Satisfaction Benchmark Survey,” explains
ActionCOACH’s UK Franchise Recruitment Director, Julie
Laura Thorburn takes on the role of UK Marketing Manager and
will be advertising the new roadshow of franchise discovery events.
Phil Mowat and Tim Holmes both join the team as National
Partnerships Manager, developing exclusive business-to-business
partnerships to support both franchise owners and their
The UK support team now stands 50 strong with one of the most
active global support teams of any franchise brand.


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Following recent announcements by JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM), Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) and Citigroup (NYSE:C), customers will not be allowed to purchase cryptocurrency on their credit cards. Lloyds Banking Group, the largest bank in the United Kingdom, has now joined its American counterparts in the “anti-crypto campaign”.
Credit cards issued by Lloyds — including those from Halifax, Bank of Scotland, and MBNA — will be blocked from making crypto purchases through an online blacklist that will flag sellers. However, customers will still be able to buy cryptocurrencies with their debit cards for now.
According to a CNN report, this decision was made by the U.K. bank to “protect its customers” from making speculative buys on volatile assets like Bitcoin.
In addition to Lloyds, financial services firm Virgin Money has also placed a cryptocurrency ban on its credit cards. Similar to Lloyds, Virgin was concerned with customers accumulating large amounts of debts following sharp declines in the cryptocurrency market.
Currently, the boundaries set against cryptocurrency are getting more and more rigid. Not only are banks now placing stringent rules on these digital assets, entire nations have also been cracking down heavily as well, most prominently China, South Korea, and more recently India.
On Friday, Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said his country would “take all measures to eliminate the use of these crypto assets in financing illegitimate activities or as part of the payment system.”
With these bans, owning cryptocurrency in arguably two of the biggest western countries, has become more difficult.
Perhaps people will now start to invest more cautiously in cryptocurrency if they can’t use “borrowed money”.
Who will be next to join the crypto bans? Only time will tell.
Featured Image: Twitter


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U.S. Soda Consumption Falls to 30-Year Low: Chartby
Americans are increasingly saying no to soda. Per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks fell to a 30-year low in 2015, according to data compiled by Beverage-Digest. Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., the three largest makers of cola in the U.S., are all struggling with a shift away from sugary, bubbly drinks in favor of healthier-seeming fare. Total carbonated soft drink volume fell for the 11th straight year in 2015, declining 1.2 percent.


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The new Blueprint is clear in outlining achievable goals to enhance traceability.
There is welcome news from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The agency is taking steps to prioritize food safety and that’s good for full-service restaurants. Last fall, I attended a meeting of the FDA to provide input on the agency’s new approach to the modernization of food safety. The resulting FDA New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint is a 10-year roadmap where technology and other tools will be leveraged to create a safer and more digital, traceable food system.
Full-service operators that have been following this issue are already aware that ensuring the safety of the food supply will focus on a digitalized supply chain. The new Blueprint is clear in outlining achievable goals to enhance traceability, improve predictive analytics, respond more rapidly to outbreaks, address new business models, reduce sources of contamination for food, and foster the development of stronger food safety cultures. Even some of the lessons of COVID-19 are instructive when it comes to ensuring the safety of the food supply.
There are four pillars of the FDA Blueprint all of which apply to FSRs. The first is Food Safety Culture. The vision is a direct digital connection between the consumer and the food they are served that will help establish a culture of food safety like never before. It includes the use of interoperable standards for globally unique identification and uniform baseline content to be physically and digitally tied to each food supply chain item because this addresses the needs of both full-service restaurant management and customers.
For full-service restaurants, COVID-19 was a pivotal point that illustrated that the industry could indeed adapt to new business models. This knowledge will drive Retail Food Safety Modernization, another pillar of the FDA Blueprint. Touchless retail experiences driven by the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to grow in importance. In fact, there is every indication that highly automated restaurants with self-service ordering, self-checkout, and delivery technology will be vital for success in the future.
A third pillar of the FDA Blueprint offers FSRs Smarter Tools and Approaches for Prevention. Among the many examples of current technology are smart temperature tracking sensors that can alert food purveyors that their refrigeration may be failing, before spoiled food gets to end-users. Additionally, as employing dedicated handwashing protocols have been shown to be even more essential, hand scanners are proving to be invaluable. This data collection device uses visible light fluorescence spectroscopy to instantly detect invisible signs of bacteria and viruses that cause foodborne illness including Norovirus, E. coli, Listeria, Hepatitis A, and Salmonella.
Tech-Enabled Traceability and Foodborne Outbreak Response is a fourth pillar of the Blueprint. Here, the onus is on FSRs and their suppliers to utilize intelligent label solutions that integrate digital identities at the first mile to bridge the physical product to digital platforms, such as blockchain and predictive analytics, to provide a secure means for traceability and transparency throughout the entire supply chain.
RFID tagging solutions can give individual items unique digital identities enabling verifiable chain-of-custody data to be captured throughout the supply chain. These solutions capture and create data that fuels intelligent automation in the back-of-the-house.
Operators are well aware that there’s great urgency for full-serves when there is a food recall. Deploying RFID and barcode labels allows recalled products to be located in seconds, quickly identifying the source of outbreaks and pulling them out of the food supply before they cause widespread illness.
Full-service operators are well aware of the importance of using technological advances and maintaining a food safety culture. By focusing on technology and safety, foodborne illness will not lead to restaurant closures. Ensuring a safer food supply for the health of consumers is essential to the success of full-service restaurants.
Ryan Yost is vice president and general manager for the Printer Solutions Division of Avery Dennison. Avery Dennison is at the forefront of global initiatives to modernize food safety with its Freshmarx suite of intelligent food industry solutions and Freshmarx Connect, which enables data harmonization.


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Intel is restructuring its operations for the goal of leading into new products, which is now resulting into reshuffling the role of the prominent executive who lead the its efforts into wearable devices, according to The WSJ. The chip maker has come up with a new technology group that now has combined a number of research and product development efforts into a single organization, according to Intel.
Reshuffling of executives’ roles
Intel further noted that the new unit will handle all the responsibilities carried out by the company’s new devices group. Mike Bell, who is known for his tenure as a lead in product development at Apple and Palm before coming to Intel in 2010, was the team leader of the device group. Bell, who keeps showing up for industry events such as launching new products like smartwatches and eyewear powered by Intel’s chips, will be a given a role which is yet undecided, Intel said.
Joshua Walden, a senior vice president and Intel veteran who also provided assistance in the company’s platform development group, will head the technology group. The group will include what Intel called its new business initiatives group, or NBI, which supported the creation of the products outside the company’s core chip operations. Integrating various operations into one unit “will help to drive greater synergies,” said the chip maker.
Also as a result of the change, Senior Vice President Amir Faintuch is now the sole manager of Intel’s platform development group.
Intel focusing on wearables
For now, wearables are one of the most challenging areas for CEO Brian Krzanich. The chip maker could not convince most of the smartphone makers to pack its chip in their phones and tablets, and therefore, Krzanich decided to hit the wearable market.
Roger Kay, an analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, noted that the efforts of wearable devices have gained a lot of attention but so far have failed to generate much of revenue. “When companies move things around, typically it means they are not happy with how things are going,” he said.
The new changes are in line with the plans laid by Krzanich. In a recent interview with Mad Money host Jim Cramer, the CEO said Intel wants to prove to people that it is an innovation engine, adding that the company needs to move faster.


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Formula One auto racing doesn’t naturally spring to mind when considering which sports are the most sustainable. Others such as cycling, tennis or golf seem more likely candidates than one whose participants race 19 times a year in cars with 1.6 liter V6 turbo engines. However, closer inspection under F1’s […]
Alexander Wang just unveiled his 10th anniversary capsule collection featuring 10 pieces chosen by fans via social media, now available for pre-order.
How do you gently let a co-worker know when they’re violating your personal space or otherwise making it hard to work with them? Here’s how!
Martin is seriously upset about having wasted four months with a company that in the end, wouldn’t budge off their two-weeks-of-vacation policy even for an experienced hire. What would you tell Martin to do?
Live blogging the midnight release of ‘Until Dawn”. Fright, Fear, Life and Death choices are paramount.
Bottom line: Strong sales growth for Huawei’s Honor brand in the first half of the year reflects the company’s broader accelerating momentum, and could pose a growing challenge for domestic rival Xiaomi. More new data is showing the growing momentum for smartphone aspirant Huawei, with word that the company’s Honor brand […]
Justin Wilson, the affable 37-year-old Verizon IndyCar Series driver, passed Monday, Aug. 24, from injuries sustained at the ABC Supply 500 race the day before at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway. Wilson was hit by debris from fellow Indy racer Sage Karam’s car. Karam, while leading the race with just 20 laps […]
One of the promises of Windows 10 is the ability to unite various platforms and streamline the user experience across the PC, mobile devices and even gaming consoles in your living room. Today Microsoft announced the public beta of Cortana for Android to extend that cross-platform functionality to the number […]
Saturated with splendor, Club Med’s Finolhu Villas resort is 100% powered by the sun.


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the spr agency, a Scottsdale-based social media agency, has been ranked as one of Phoenix’s top 25 social media firms by the Phoenix Business Journal.
The social media agency, which counts national homebuilders, premier master-planned communities, electronics manufacturers and healthcare companies as clients, sees 2018 as a year of considerable growth with social media becoming a primary focus for brand experience and brand advertising.
“The power of social media is undeniable,” said Christy Stevens, vice president of the spr agency. “We’re at a point in which it’s essential for companies to take big steps to build their presence and break through with strategic social media messaging that speaks to consumers.
“While we use all social media platforms that make sense for our clients, Facebook remains the most viable social media platform for companies to use in 2018. It’s a powerful player that returns astounding results when done well.”
The company was also named the No. 1 public relations agency in Arizona by Ranking Arizona in 2017.
Founded in 2008, the spr agency has garnered a reputation for creating and implementing successful digital marketing campaigns for some of today’s leading brands.
The spr agency is located at 6730 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 240, in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information, please call (480) 648-1770 or visit https://thespragency.com/.
About the spr agency
Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, the spr agency provides full-service business marketing, public relations, digital marketing and social media services to a host of successful companies throughout the United States. Currently, the company works with clients in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. For more information about the spr agency, please visit https://thespragency.com/.


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‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ Release Pushed Back Seven Months To December 2017
Wednesday, January 20th, 2016 at 5:46 pm
Scheduling changes for films come as no surprise in the industry. As we have seen when Star Wars: The Force Awakens announced that it would open on December 18, 2015, studios rescheduled the release of some of their tentpole films to an earlier or later date. Given the huge box office success that The Force Awakens has become, it makes sense that Disney would want to release more Star Wars films in the month of December.
Originally scheduled for a May 26, 2017 release, it should come as no surprise that the Rian Johnson-directed Star Wars: Episode VIII has now been pushed back to a December 2017 release. Check out what other movies are affected by this change after the jump.
Disney made the announcement in a press release delivered earlier today.
By making this change Star Wars: Episode VIII opens a few days before James Cameron’s Avatar 2, which is currently scheduled for December 25, 2017, and will be in direct competition against Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One. One is a long-awaited sequel to a sci-fi hit, the other an adaptation of an award-winning geek novel.
However, the change has an effect on Disney films as well. Consider this: Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is currently scheduled for a May 5, 2017 release. Which if Star Wars: Episode VIII had stuck with its original date wouldn’t have been the best business decision (or would not have been the most lucrative one for that matter) for Disney who owns both Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm. But the move to December is also a beneficial one since summer is overcrowded with tentpole films. And as we have seen before, December is the next best option. This move also shifts a long-standing tradition of Star Wars films being released in the month of May. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is scheduled for a December 16, 2016 release.
Now, as for other projects. Disney will also be moving Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales from its July 7, 2017 release to May 26, 2017. The Sony and Marvel Studio Spider-Man reboot will also be rescheduled and claim the July 7, 2017 release.
It’s not clear now if Fox or Warner Bros. will shift the release of their films to avoid competition with the Star Wars juggernaut. Both cater to the geek demographic and aren’t exactly what you call counter-programming the way Sisters or Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip was when it opened against The Force Awakens. So it should be interesting to see if any of the studios budge.


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Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children's Place Retail Stores Inc. reported Monday that its CFO Steven Baginski has resigned the company, effective immediately.
According to the retailer, Baginski is leaving to pursue other interests.
Former COO and CFO of The Talbots Inc., Michael Scarpa, has been named Baginski’s successor, effective Dec. 3.
Scarpa also worked at Liz Claiborne Inc. for 25 years.
In related news, Children's Place also said its board approved the repurchase of up to $100 million in stock. The company approved the repurchase of $50 million in stock in March, and at the end of the third quarter $21.6 million remained under that authorization.


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Eveready starts production in its Assam unit
Battery-to-lighting major Eveready Industries on Friday said it has commenced commercial production at its new plant in Assam from Thursday.
The unit has a capacity of manufacturing 500 million batteries and 9 million LED flashlights per annum.
"On Thursday, February 23, 2017, the company has commenced the commercial production at its new unit at industrial growth centre, Matia, Goalpara, Assam," it said in a regulatory filing at BSE.
The company had earlier said the investment into plant was to the tune of Rs 100 crore.


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It seems like each week we get a new survey about the upcoming June release of the iPhone. The latest, from ChangeWave, is reporting the highest numbers we've seen thus far.
Today, the daily grind of iPhone non-news and rumors have brought us some new speculation about the sale price of the iPhone come it's release in June.
Many press release relays, blogs, and other internet news outlets are reporting today on an Apple iPhone customer survey by Norwalk, CT market research firm, Markitecture. The numbers, at a glance, may be misleading. Most of these reports have spun the survey results to be negative in nature, when it reality they may be quite positive.
At the sixth CEO forum, USA Today interviewed Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. One of the topics on their minds (and ours) was the upcoming release of the Apple iPhone.
Some of us have been confused since the moment the iPhone was announced with a lack of support for 3G (third generation) networks. The iPhone is, after all, a next generation device. Why, then, would a next generation device lack support for the next generation of wireless mobile connectivity?


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BEIJING (AFP) – China’s factory activity edged back into growth in September after two months of contraction, official data showed yesterday.
The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – a key gauge of manufacturing in the world’s second-biggest economy – came in at 50.1, up from August’s 49.4 and just exceeding the 50-point mark separating growth from contraction, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
“With a basket of policies to stabilise the economy continuing to take effect and the receding impact of high temperatures, the manufacturing sector has somewhat rebounded, pushing the PMI back into expansionary territory,” NBS senior statistician Zhao Qinghe said in a statement.
But official data showed the non-manufacturing PMI posted markedly slower growth, falling to 50.6 in September from 52.6 the previous month.
The independent Caixin survey – which tends to capture more small and export-driven firms – showed factory activity contracted more sharply in September, coming in at 48.1 compared with August’s 49.5.


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Coca-Cola Continues to Explore the NFT Market
- Coca-Cola plans to roll out more digital collectibles in honor of cultural moments.
One of the world’s oldest and most successful beverage companies, Coca-Cola, recently launched a new NFT collection on the Polygon blockchain in honor of International Friendship Day. According to a tweet shared by Polygon Studios, the NFTs were released as a gesture of appreciation to those who have supported Coca-Cola’s adventure into the metaverse.
This won’t be Coca-Cola’s first dive into the NFT space, but the collectible has already captured the attention of the community. It features a design inspired by the bubbles inside a Coke bottle and sends a message of unity and connection.
According to the post by Polygon, the friendship collectibles were airdropped to holders of the previous Coca-Cola collectibles. The new NFT is geared towards building a sense of bond within the Coca-Cola community.
According to reports, recipients have the opportunity to share their collectibles with a friend and enjoy the spirit of friendship. To make it more special, the NFTs have to be shared with a friend for it to be revealed. Furthermore, the new pieces were created by the digital avatar company, Tafi. The NFT has a high visual appeal and includes a huge variety of animations and color palettes.
Speaking about the friendship NFTs, Pratik Thakar, Head of Global Creative Strategy, Coca-Cola, said,
International Friendship Day—which launched our metaverse journey in 2021—is the perfect milestone opportunity to thank and celebrate the people who have joined us. We hope to strengthen and expand our ‘Real Magic’ community by building connections through a variety of physical and virtual Coca-Cola experiences.
As of now, these NFTs, along with the previous ones, are not focused on utility, but according to the press release, “as the community grows, digital collectible owners will gain access to rewards and perks, including Coke Studio-powered experiences, gaming events, and early access to Coca-Cola Creations limited-edition product launches.”
The beverage company plans to remain active in the metaverse and has scheduled activations for Halloween (October) and International Singles Day (November). According to Thakar, the company intends to roll out more collectibles tied to key cultural moments. Coke also plans to develop its virtual community with surprising digital collectibles.
NFTs continue to play a huge role in the blockchain world and, according to reports, remain an area of interest for many users. Coca-Cola’s previous NFT collections featured a “loot box” sale to promote Special Olympics International, International Pride Day, and International Burger Day. The company is one of the many global giants leveraging blockchain to connect with its users.
Launching these digital items on Polygon is another win for the blockchain. Several other big players, such as Disney, have built their community-focused products on the platform. Polygon plans to attract more global corporations to Web3 in the coming months.


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BOULDER, Colo. — Sustainability management software provider PE International and Five Winds International, a sustainability management consultant firm, recently announced a merger aimed at enabling market penetration in North America and bringing Five Winds consulting services to a global audience.
Officials from the firms said the merger addresses a growing demand in the market for solutions that drive improvements in product-level and enterprise-wide sustainability performance.
“Businesses are integrating sustainability principles into their operations to manage supply chain opportunities and risks arising from climate change, water shortages, energy demand and other sustainability issues,” the companies said in a joint statement. “According to research firm Forrester the market is growing at 83 percent per annum and is forecasted to reach $903 million by 2013.”
The combined company plans to provide strategic management advisory services coupled with technology options to the North American market, and roll out Five Winds’ consulting methods and processes throughout all PE International companies worldwide.
“There is a strong demand for integrated consulting services and technology solutions that allow clients to identify cost savings and take advantage of new revenue and growth opportunities,” said Michael Betz, CEO of PE International. “PE International and Five Winds currently share a number of client relationships like Kraft Foods, Carnival Corporation and Johnson & Johnson demonstrating the complementary value that we can now bring to our customers.”
PE International recently announced that it raised $10.8 million in venture capital funding from Siemens Venture Capital and European investment firm Gimv. The investment will fund the growth plans of the combined company and further develop its software plus services platform.
The sustainability solution combines Five Winds’ strategy development and implementation services, benchmarking content product innovation processes and tools.
PE’s solution portfolio includes GaBi software solutions for product sustainability, including life cycle assessment and product footprints, and SoFi software solutions for managing corporate sustainability.
Officials said the merger is the natural progression of a long-term collaboration between the two companies that began with a strategic alliance in 1998.
In 2006, the companies founded joint venture PE Americas to bring PE International’s software to Five Winds consulting services.


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Dispensary marketing is no easy task. You can’t advertise on most search engines or social media networks (although there are exceptions), and there are countless rules about the types of signage you can display even in your store window. When it seems like the whole world is against you, how are you supposed to distinguish […]
Finding effective and legal cannabis marketing strategies is challenging because cannabis is still illegal under federal law. Many traditional avenues, including Google pay-per-click (PPC) and social media platforms, don’t permit cannabis-related advertisements. However, the restrictions on marijuana marketing don’t stop cannabis companies from getting the word out there about their products and brands in several
It’s somewhat counter-intuitive that growing plants could harm the environment. After all, it’s plants (including cannabis) that convert CO2 into oxygen, stabilize the soil, provide habitat for wildlife, and help to keep our water systems clean. Growing hemp was even mandated in the UK in 1535 due to its practical value for fiber and food.
For cannabis users, passing the pipe is becoming increasingly passe. New delivery systems for CBD and THC are replacing pipes, joints, and blunts for customers who want to enjoy marijuana without the health problems smoking can cause. Smoke-free cannabis products offer a controllable high or none at all, opening the benefits of cannabis to a
One of the everyday challenges facing cannabusinesses is finding a good cannabis payment processor. Even as more states lift their marijuana prohibitions, it can be difficult for cannabis businesses to find reliable and affordable merchant services. Traditional merchants don’t want to work with products that are still illegal at the federal level, and a lot
Recreational cannabis is now legal in 11 states and the District of Columbia. New Mexico may soon become state number 12. On October 16th, a state-appointed marijuana working group (established by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham) released a series of recommendations for a recreational cannabis market. The panel produced official recommendations for tax revenue allocation, packaging
Running a successful cannabis business means contending with an ever-changing labyrinth of regulatory requirements. Most regulatory oversights result in fines and minor penalties, but there are certain mistakes that can actually cost you your license. If you run any sort of cannabis operation, you’ll want to be mindful of the most serious pitfalls. 1. Failure


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Casual dining takes another hit as Bloomin Brands, the parent company of Outback Steakhouse has announced the closing of 43 restaurants according to this CBS report.
After a decline in sales, Bloomin’ brands – parent company of Outback Steakhouse – announced Friday they will be closing 43 restaurants.
Reported earnings show a loss of $4.3 million late last year. In 2015, the company brought in a net income of $17.7 million. The dining industry has been facing some financial challenges, because more customers are opting for takeout and delivery options.
According to Bloomin Brands press release:
“Although 2016 was a challenging year for both Bloomin’ Brands and the industry, we made real progress on our strategy to reallocate spending away from discounting toward investments to strengthen brand health, ” said Liz Smith, CEO. “We are pleased with how our brands are performing so far in 2017, particularly at Outback where we believe our investments are beginning to gain traction.”
On February 15, 2017, we decided to close 43 underperforming restaurants. In connection with these closures, we recognized pre-tax asset impairments of $46.5 million during Q4 2016, which includes three restaurants that closed in the fourth quarter. We expect to incur charges between $16 million to $19 million in fiscal year 2017 with the majority of these expenses occurring in the first quarter.
If you found this article useful, please consider donating to fund my work.
Thomas Dishaw is an activist and the editor of govtslaves.info. He has written for naturalnews.com and has been the subject of numerous hit pieces published by The Daily Mail, New York Daily News, Forbes and Gawker. Thomas currently resides outside of Philadelphia, PA with his wife and dog. You can support Thomas' work by making a donation below or purchasing some gear from the Gov't Slaves Store. You can reach Thomas via email at email@example.com or follow him on Instagram.


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Idaho's wine industry has received its second American Viticultural Area designation. An AVA is a federally designated wine grape growing region that has distinct geographic characteristics.
An inoperative refrigerated rail service, Cold Train, renews litigation against BNSF after the original lawsuit was dismissed.
California navel orange growers are several weeks of the harvest of what is expected to be an 86-mil
The California Table Grape Commission is maintaining a unique partnership with the Food Network as t
Timber, livestock and wine producers in the mountains northeast of San Francisco are among landowners being urged to guard against soil erosion from fire-scarred lands when El Nino-powered rains come.
The California Strawberry Commission is highlighting separate studies unveiled this year linking regular strawberry consumption with prevention of Alzheimer's disease and diabetes.
The Washington Farm Labor Association expects to see a continued rise in use of H-2A workers since immigration reform is stalled in Congress.
Unless quality in storage becomes a problem, Washington's smaller apple crop has marketers eying better prices than last year.
State Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark says he's proceeding with sale of Stemilt Basin land, south of Wenatchee, to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife apparently ending plans of cherry orchard development.


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ROTTERDAM (CBS.MW) – Dutch Internet portal World Online named MSNBC.com president and chief executive James Kinsella as chairman-elect of its management board Wednesday, replacing embattled former chairwoman Nina Brink.
Kinsella, 40, is also a vice president at Microsoft (MSFT). He “quickly built MSNBC.com into one of the most successful destinations on the Internet and developed MSN into a top advertising revenue generator,” said Victor Bischoff, chairman of World Online’s supervisory board.
The new recruit will start work in Rotterdam on the first of June, and the company’s banking on his leadership to steer it out of a troubled time since its flotation March 17.
In the wake of the IPO, it emerged that then-chairwoman Brink had sold a 6.35 percent stake in the company -- the bulk of her shares -- before the offer. The resulting firestorm of publicity culminated in Brink’s resignation April 14.
Widening loss; positive outlook
Separately Wednesday, The company reported a widening first-quarter loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of 79 million euros ($71.85 million) in the first quarter, compared with a loss of 50 million euros in the fourth quarter of 1999.
Revenues, however, rose 39 percent to 40.5 million euros from 29.2 million in the fourth quarter of last year, led by access revenues, which were up 101 percent to 29.7 million, reflecting an 84.5 percent jump in the subscriber base to 2.2 million.
Not all revenue-generators fared so well. Business services revenue fell 10 percent to 6.5 million euros, while merchandising and e-commerce revenue fell 57 percent to 2.4 million euros. Advertising revenue, meantime, grew 12 percent to 720,000 euros.
World Online said that while advertising and e-commerce revenue “have yet to show significant growth,” the company is “confident that as these markets expand, and with increased management attention on these key revenue lines, growth will improve during the course of the year.”
The company said operating costs climbed faster than revenues, jumping 60 percent to 140.2 million euros, which was in line with management’s expectations.
World Online shares fell 0.15 euro, or 1.1 percent, to 13.50 euros.


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Charge is a new mobile internet provider who aims squarely at the generation of people who prefer to tap on their mobile devices rather than talk into them. Next week, the company is launching a $10
Republic Wireless is back! The disruptive division of Bandwidth just reopened its beta program and released the $249 Defy XT to its users. Th
Last week we broke the news that Bandwidth.


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McDonald's Corporation (MCD) - Get McDonald's Corporation Report revealed Sunday that it's breaking up with its now-former chief executive and president Steve Easterbrook after "he violated company policy and demonstrated poor judgment involving a recent consensual relationship with an employee," said the company.
Chris Kempczinski is taking over the chief executive and president role, said the company. Kempczinski, former president of McDonald's USA, has also been elected to the board.
Joe Erlinger has been named president of McDonald's USA. He was previously president of international operated markets, where he oversaw McDonald's wholly-owned markets outside the U.S.
Joining the fast-food chain in 2015, Kempczinski had been responsible for McDonald's business operations of approximately 14,000 U.S. restaurants.
McDonald's says the "leadership transition is unrelated to the Company's operational or financial performance."
In the company's third quarter earnings release last month, it reported that earnings per share of $2.11 were flat with the prior year. That number missed the Street's consensus forecast of $2.21 per share.
Consolidated revenues, meanwhile, increased $61.2 million or 1% to $5.4 billion and systemwide sales increased $1.3 billion or 5% to $26 billion.


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2017 Sun Wine & Food Fest to Bring Plenty of Wine, Beer, Food, and Superstar Chefs to Mohegan Sun Jan. 27 to 29
Mohegan Sun’s Sun Winefest has been one of the Northeast’s premier wine festivals since it was first launched 14 years ago, but this year the culinary component is playing an even larger role than in the past, and the name of the festival have been changed to the Sun Wine & Food Fest to reflect that. So not only will the festival remain a must-visit for wine-lovers, it will also feature some spectacular culinary events as well.
Taking place over the weekend of January 27, the festival has added two new events that sound pretty awesome: On Friday night, chef Aarón Sánchez will be hosting a “Mexican Night Market” with traditional Mexican fare and specialty cocktails made with tequila and mescal. And on Sunday, none other than chef Mario Batali will be hosting a blowout brunch featuring his favorite brunch recipes; he’ll also be hosting a live cooking demo.
These new events will join the familiar lineup of events from years past: a Bourbon tasting event with hors d’oeuvres and cigars on Friday night; the signature Grand Tasting on Saturday with more than 1,000 wines and beers to sample and chef demos on the main stage; and the Elite Cru Tasting of some of the world’s finest wines on Saturday afternoon. And on Saturday night, chefs including Sánchez, Todd English, and Rocco DiSpirito will be among the two dozen chefs participating in the lavish Celebrity Chef Dine Around, serving dishes from live cooking stations with plenty of wine and beer to go around.
We’ve attended this festival in the past, and it’s really as much fun as it sounds. If you love wine, beer, and gourmet food, and want to have the opportunity to meet some of the country’s biggest celebrity chefs in one of the Northeast’s finest resort-casinos, then you have no reason to let the Sun Wine & Food Fest pass you by this year. Tickets can be purchased here.


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Security researchers have discovered a couple of different ways to bypass Apple’s Activation Lock.
The researchers discovered two different exploits, one affecting iOS 10.1, and the other impacting devices running iOS 10.1.1 that could allow attackers to break the Activation Lock on Apple devices — a feature that, normally, makes it nearly impossible for someone to wipe and set up a device that they don’t own. Along with features like Find My iPhone, Activation Lock is part of the many security features present in Apple devices. And, in fact, Apple’s deterrents may be a reason why phone thefts have been sharply declining.
Which is why a workaround for any of those measures is understandably pretty worrying to security professionals.
The iOS 10.1 bug was first discovered by Hemanth Joseph, a security researcher based out of Kerala, India. He discovered that, choosing the “other network” Wi-Fi option and inputting thousands of characters into the passkey field would freeze the device. He then devised a way, using Apple’s Smart Cover and some precise timing, to make the startup wizard fail and go straight to the device’s home screen. Joseph used the exploit on a locked iPad he bought from eBay, and demonstrated the exploit on a Google Drive video.
The second exploit — this one affecting devices with iOS 10.1.1 installed — was recently discovered by security researchers at Vulnerability Lab. It uses a method similar to Joseph’s, but relies on rotating the device while it’s overwhelmed with data to get the home screen to appear. You can see their method in the video below.
In the Vulnerability Lab video, the home screen only flashes for a second — so it’s currently unknown if the exploits are actually of any real danger. But Benjamin Kunz-Mejri, one of the organization’s cofounder, said that access to the home screen can be maintained by quickly pressing the power button, according to Security Week.
Luckily, the exploit first found by Joseph appears to have been patched by Apple in a Nov. 16 iOS update. The second exploit is still fair game, but Apple might remedy the bug when iOS 10.2 finally drops, Forbes reported..


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Russia has announced that it will legalize the use of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. "Newsweek Thinks It Found the Real "Satoshi Nakamoto". Beyond that, the field of cryptocurrencies is always expanding, and the next great digital token may be released tomorrow, for all anyone in the crypto community knows. 186 In August 2011, MyBitcoin, a now defunct bitcoin transaction processor, declared that it was hacked, which caused it to be shut down, paying 49 on customer deposits, leaving more than 78,000 bitcoins (equivalent to roughly US800,000 at that time) unaccounted for. Retrieved wan, Noelle (28 February 2014). "The Bitcoin Fee Market". Archived from the original on Peterson, Andrea.
Litecoins Halving Is Months Away, But Traders May Already
Two days later, the price of one BTC passed US4,400 for the first time. Ripple believes that distributing value is a powerful way to incentivize certain behaviors and thus currently plans to distribute XRP primarily through business development deals, incentives to liquidity providers who offer tighter spreads for payments, and selling XRP to institutional buyers interested in investing. 169 Additionally, FinCEN claimed regulation over American entities that manage bitcoins in a payment processor setting or as an exchanger: "In addition, a person is an exchanger and a money transmitter if the person accepts such de-centralized convertible virtual currency from one person and transmits. Chinese internet giant Baidu had allowed clients of website security services to pay with bitcoins. Mar Price fell through to early 2015. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. 174 175 In June 2013, Bitcoin Foundation board member Jon Matonis wrote in Forbes that he received a warning letter from the California Department of Financial Institutions accusing the foundation of unlicensed money transmission. "In Kenya, Bitcoin linked to popular mobile payment system". Warren, Tom (11 December 2014). 52 In March, the bitcoin transaction log called the blockchain temporarily split into two independent chains with differing rules on how transactions were accepted.


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Estaronline Signs Two Year Exclusive With Telstra
On the eve of listing its shares on the Stock Exchange Secondary Board, EstarOnline has signed a two year exclusive deal with a prime hyperlink connection on the home page of Telstra's Internet Service Provider, Big Pond. EstarOnline's site CDStar.com is the only virtual music store on the home page, which is currently being accessed over ten million times per month, giving it enormous exposure via Australia's largest Internet Service provider. Their exclusive spot is secured for two years.
"We are the newest online music store in the Australian marketplace, and we are the only virtual music store with a spot on the home page. It's a great opportunity for both EStarOnline, and New Zealand internet companies in general, to have this sort of access to the Australian market place," said Matthew Darby, Chief Executive of EstarOnline.
EStarOnline hopes to capitalise on the skyrocketing share of retail business being conducted online - particularly in New Zealand and Australia. "ecommerce is the wave of the future - and we're already riding it," says Mr Darby.
"There are significant advantages in providing a local product in the Australasian market. Consumers can use the power and simplicity of Internet shopping, but buy in their own currency, with quicker and cheaper delivery. We also tailor our site for customers. For example, in CDStar, customers can share their views about the music, and bands can submit details about their tours," he said.
"The Australian market is more than ready for CDStar. Industry analysts say that Australian consumers purchased more than $10 million worth of compact discs over the internet last year and that amount is expected to double this year. CDStar intends to secure a big share of that market," said Mr Darby.
EstarOnline will start trading on the stock exchange secondary board on the 14th of November.


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by: Brónagh Tumulty, General Assignment Reporter at WGN News.
Original Story found here.
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. — Parents may be facing a reoccurring problem at their local grocery stores: the lack of food for their babies.
Datasembly, which provides information for many retailers, says baby formula has been one of the most affected categories of the year, with the shortages attributed to inflation, supply chain problems, and product recalls.
Data shows stock was down 23% in January and has dropped further since, with a 31% shortage noted in April.
As of April 3, seven states — Connecticut, Delaware, Montana, new jersey, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington — had out-of-stock numbers higher than 40%.
WGN News reached out to Chicago-based Abbott, the company behind products like Similac. Representatives say they’re doing everything to address the shortage, including increasing production, shipping in stock daily from their FDA registered facility in Ireland, and engaging with healthcare providers to identify potential alternative formulas.
One alternative that mothers and fathers may want is donated breast milk, now available at the Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes in Elk Grove Village.
“Donor milk, in general, is always a rollercoaster,” says program manager Susan Urbanski. “We never know with supply and demand what we’re going to be dealing with.”
She says the milk bank has seen an uptick in people looking for help.
“Talking to our outpatients, in particular, a lot are reporting they either can’t find formula they’re looking for or feeling uneasy about using formula because of the recalls,” Urbanski said.
She says hospitals are the priority and the most fragile babies come next, but they have an ample supply on-site.
The bank is open to those who are in need.
“There’s lots of reasons families may not have access to maternal milk, so we really hope to be able to fill that gap for them,” Urbanski said.
Anyone interested in retrieving or donating breast milk to the bank can learn more information here.


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October 10, 2023
Surge Licensing and Genuine Entertainment, the exclusive licensing agent for Webtoon Entertainment, has secured a slate of new licensing partners for the platform’s originals. Bioworld, Walter Foster and FiGPiN will launch new products for the U.S. market, while Event Merchandising has been signed to build-out Webtoon’s new official webstore. The new partners will initially focus on creating products “Lore Olympus,” “UnOrdinary,” “True Beauty” and “Tower of God.”
Bioworld has been appointed as the master apparel partner,. Walter Foster is Webtoon’s official “How to Draw” partner; and FiGPiN will produce collectibles across their FiGPiN, FiGPiN Mystery and FiGPiN mini-pin formats, as well as the new Cyber Cel collectible card program. Additionally, Event Merchandising is Webtoon’s e-commerce partner. The official Webtoon webstore will host product lines for an expanded IP roster and will also serve as a destination for fans to find competitions, promotions and exclusives/limited-run licensed products.
“We are thrilled to work with Surge Licensing to bring more of the Webtoon universe to fans worldwide through a new range of branded products based on some of our most successful titles, as well as to offer an online shopping experience through our new e-commerce platform,” says Sandy Resnick, head, rights, Webtoon. “This is just the beginning of our licensing and retail expansion, as we continue to create new ways for fans to celebrate the incredible creators and content on Webtoon.”
“Webtoon boasts some of the largest fandoms around the globe and a goldmine of content they love to explore,” says Elan Freedman, executive vice president, Surge Licensing. “We look forward to working with these best-in-class partners to create a range of unique and stylish products, built with the DNA of the brands embedded and spark engagement from the vast community of fans around the world.”
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Posted on 11.5.2011 12:00 by Kirby Garlitos + Filed under: Cadillac USA coupe Celebrity Cars sports cars Cadillac CTS car tuning
Back to Article: Justin Bieber's Cadillac CTS-V Coupe "Batmobile" to be featured in finale of "Inside West Coast Customs" news More: Cadillac Pictures Cadillac CTS Pictures
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But finally, some big news has come to light that we are about to share which could make the Ripple investors extremely happy.
Number #1: Ripple Escrows 55 Billion XRP to accomplish its promise of building liquidity
At last, Ripple has fulfilled its promise of building XRP liquidity. It has completed this via escrowing funds. The Cypto experts has said that Ripple has again given a proof of its responsibilities.
Full news available on Ripple News
Update: Big News! Ripple Partnerships with American Express
Number #2: Ripple has been selected for the best Digital Asset payment
After examining the top digital assists used for payments which includes their cost, speed and scalability, it has been found that Ripple is on top of them on 11 December, 2017. Here’s the full chart comparing the top companies.
Number #3: Possibility of Amazon & Uber Partnership with Ripple
This could be the most exciting news ever. But there might be an Amazon & Uber partnership with Ripple. Here’s a picture of today’s meeting presentation (12 December, 2017) that has been exposed in twitter & YouTube.
Number #4: Ripple Payment enters Trial in Japan-Korea Blockchain Payments
This is a huge news that came today (12 December, 2017) where Nikkei announced this update. Japan-Korea market will do a trial on blockchain payment using Ripple. 61 banks aim to send payment via Ripple virtual currency. Ripple experts has stated that Friday will be a massive day for Ripple. If everything goes well then then at the starting of 2018, Ripple will be used to carry its first real funds between Japan and South Korea.
Number #5: Big announcement coming this Friday
It is confirmed by an employee (@Joelkatz) of Ripple that a big announcement is coming this Friday (15 December, 2017). Everyone is really looking forward to this and there’s a high chance that it will explode the Ripple price.
Number #6: Ripple Hosts the World Central Bank to Discover Next Generation Payment
Recently, Ripple gathered over 25 central banks around the world to discover how the Ripple technology enable the next generation payment.
The CEO Of Ripple, Brad Ganlinghouse hosted the event and stated, “The Summit provided an opportunity to explore the full payments landscape: central banks’ domestic trials, Ripple’s growing cross-border network and interoperability across systems. Together, these form the beginning of an Internet of Value, where payments move as easily as the data across the internet.”
Number #7: Ripple will be added on Coinbase
Rumors has confirmed that Ripple will be added on Coinbase very soon which means volume won’t be a problem. Coinbase is one of the leading cryptocurrency exchange company and if this goes well then there’s no wonder that Ripple price will be skyrocketing.
In short, Ripple is providing so much features that cannot be found on any other company yet. The good news for Ripple is piling up every day and finally, it has started to rise now. Stay tuned for more news soon!


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Memjet has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Hewlett-Packard Company in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. The lawsuit alleges infringement of eight Memjet patents related to its Waterfall printing technology.
Memjet’s lawsuit also claims it is entitled to recover damages resulting from HP’s use of patented technology in HP's PageWide printer products.
The HP PageWide products using the patented technology, according Memjet, include HP’s Pro X generation of office printers, the T-Series commercial presses, and PageWide XL series products. Memjet also points to HP statements around its intention to use PageWide Technology in future wide-format and 3D printers.
Memjet claims to hold several thousand U.S. and foreign patents in the page-wide inkjet printing space. Specifically, the company’s lawsuit asserts infringement of the following patents:
U.S. Patent No. 6,575,549, titled "Ink Jet Fault Tolerance Using Adjacent Nozzles"
U.S. Patent No. 6,880,914, titled "Inkjet Pagewidth Printer For High Volume Pagewidth Printing"
U.S. Patent No. 7,156,492, titled "Modular Printhead Assembly With A Carrier Of A Metal Alloy"
U.S. Patent No. 7,325,986, titled "Printhead Assembly with Stacked Ink Distribution Sheets"
U.S. Patent No. 8,662,636, titled "Inkjet Printhead Having Rows Of Printhead Segments"
U.S. Patent No. 8,678,550, titled "Printhead Assembly With Laminated Ink Distribution Stack"
U.S. Patent No. 8,696,096, titled "Laminated Ink Supply Structure Mounted In Ink Distribution Arrangement Of An Inkjet Printer"
U.S. Patent No. 9,056,475, titled "Inkjet Printer With Web Feed Maintenance Assembly"
Memjet Claims Patent Infringement by HP
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Working Conditions Of Nike Contract Workers
March 6, 2001
The athletic shoemaker Nike has been criticized for practices in its third-world factories. A new report from the nonprofit Global Alliance for Workers and Communities, of which Nike is a founding member, said it uncovered a string of problems in a survey of 4,450 workers at nine Indonesian factories.
While a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll last year found 31 percent of American women had experienced workplace harassment, the Global Alliance survey found:
- Nearly 8 percent of workers reported receiving unwanted sexual comments, nearly 2.5 percent said they had received unwanted sexual touching on the job and 30 percent said they had been victims of verbal abuse, like swearing or yelling.
- The Global Alliance survey also found 55 percent of the Nike contract workers were happy with company medical clinics, while 45 percent were unhappy.
- Some 73 percent of the workers were satisfied with work relationships with their direct supervisors, and 68 percent were satisfied with factory management.
- The only widespread complaint, raised by 90 percent, was that it was hard to get sick time off.
Otherwise, the Indonesian factories appear to be models of their kind, providing incomes that are above minimum wage to workers who would be poorer in their absence.
- Nike, by contracting with factories employing more than a half-million workers in 55 countries, is running one of the world's most extensive international development programs.
- By hiring many women (83 percent of workers in the Indonesian factories) Nike is giving them economic power to help raise their often-lowly social status.
Critics of Nike are weakening its brand and raising its cost of doing business, says Daniel Akst. Well-meaning customers, upset by stories of sweatshops and happy to save money, may skip the Nikes and buy off brands. Of course, these cheaper no-name sneakers were probably made under worse conditions.
Source: Daniel Akst, "Nike in Indonesia, Through a Different Lens," On the Contrary, New York Times, March 4, 2001; "Workers' Voices: An Interim Report on Workers' Needs and Aspirations in Nine Nike Contract Factories in Indonesia," February 22, 2001, Global Alliance for Workers and Communities, International Youth Foundation, 32 South Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, Md. 21202, (410) 347-1500.
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A new survey shows that now more than ever, Canadian travellers want to do some good while exploring the world.
The new data from Booking.com shows that almost half (48 per cent) of Canadian travellers believe that sustainable travel choices need to be made now, in order to protect the planet and preserve those destinations for future travellers and locals alike.
Despite everyday habits at home, most travellers say that it's easy to let your guard down and accept the invitation to be pampered.
Most people don't normally use a new towel every single day for a shower, or leave the lights on when heading out for the night, or shower three times a day for that matter.
When not properly managed, tourism-related activities contribute to climate change. The amounts of water used by showering, excessive laundry and pools in major hotel chains, for example, can severely impact a nation’s dependence on its own natural resources.
Almost half (49 per cent) of Canadian travellers acknowledge that they find it harder to make sustainable choices while on vacation than in everyday life. More than one third (36 per cent) of Canadian travellers admit their vacation is a special time during which they do not want to think about sustainability.
In honour of Earth Day, here are three easy suggestions travel agents can offer their clients who wish to travel more sustainably, regardless of their overall vacation budget.
1) Avoid single-use plastics
Last year, countless hotels, resorts, tour operators, airlines, and cruise partners took a stand against single-use plastics, including straws.
Hard Rock, Unico 20º87º, Melia, RIU, Sandals, Royalton, Bahia Principe, Iberostar, and Marriott are just some of the major hotel brands that are encouraging guests to skip the straw, and no longer offer them with their favourite beverage.
As part of Iberostar's Wave of Change program, no single-use plastics, including plastic water bottles are used in any of the brand's 110 hotels. If your guests are looking to go on an all-inclusive vacation, but they don't want to contribute to a plastic planet, encourage them to consider resorts who have banned single-use plastics, including straws, cups, and personal hygiene products like single-use shampoos and lotions.
Belle Mont Farm, in St. Kitts and Nevis, is an example of a luxury hotel that's been plastic-free for several years. Shampoo and conditioner are stored in ceramic jars and soaps do not come wrapped in plastic. Water is stocked in glass bottles that can be easily refilled.
Before the majority of hotels discontinued single-use plastics, all-inclusive resorts were notorious to contributing to waste.
On average, especially in a hot Caribbean country, visitors can use anywhere from eight to 15 small plastic cups in a day on unlimited beverages. Factor in how many guests the average resort sees in a year and the severity of the problem is much clearer.
Recently, The Travel Corporation announced a single-use plastic bottle ban on all Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Costsaver, Brendan Vacations, Contiki, AAT Kings and Inspiring Journeys coaches, which is effective as of the start of the 2019 operating season. These brands are joining sister companies Uniworld, Red Carnation Hotels and U River Cruises, which have previously removed plastic water bottles from their operations.
In fact, many cruise companies have also said no to single-use plastics, which means your guests who want to take a cruise have more sustainable options than ever before. G Adventures, for example, has banned all plastic on its yachts to the Galapagos, while back in July 2018, Hurtigruten banned plastics for its 125th birthday. MSC Cruises also recently launched a Plastic Reduction Program, and actively encourages guests to choose eco-friendly options while providing alternative solutions like biodegradable straws so no onboard experience is diminished.
Plastic straws aside, Trafalgar is also removing single-use plastic (SUP) water bottles from its coaches in 2019 as part of its continued commitment to being SUP-free on their trips by 2022.
If your guests are going somewhere that still hands out plastic cups, one easy suggestion to make to them is to tell them to pack their own reusable cup—not only will they be promoting a more sustainable lifestyle, but they can fit a lot more cocktails in there, too—they'll thank you for the tip!
2) Choose eco-friendly accommodations
According to the data by Booking.com, almost three quarters (70 per cent) of Canadian travellers intend to stay at least once in an eco-friendly accommodation when looking at the year ahead.
When it comes to recognizing a sustainable place to stay, 82 per cent of Canadian travellers say that they are not aware of the existence of eco-labels for vacation accommodations.
Additionally, 66 per cent of Canadian travellers say they would be more likely to book an accommodation knowing it was eco-friendly, whether they were looking for a sustainable stay or not.
Air Transat has had a sustainability policy in place since 2006.
"In 2016, Transat shifted into high gear and earned Travelife Partner status, a first step toward certification for all of its tour operator and travel agency operations," said Marie-Annick Lalande, public relations and marketing advisor, Air Transat. "In 2018, Transat became the first major international tour operator to be Travelife Certified for all its activities, so sustainability is very important to us. It is a very major factor in everything that we do. Travellers and our travel agent partners can get all the details about our actions regarding sustainability on this website here."
Agents who are looking for sustainable hotels for their clients have the option with Air Transat. All hotels that have a certification recognized by the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) are identified by a blue leaf just below the hotel description.
According to Lalande, if agents type the word “eco” in the search engine, the words “Eco-responsible hotels” will then appear, and once the requested dates are entered, the results will display available eco-friendly hotels.
Sunwing Vacations' Memories, Royalton and CHIC resorts are proud members of Green Globe, a leader in sustainable tourism where environmentally-friendly practices are in place, like a wide range of conservation programs including comprehensive recycling programs, the elimination of plastic straws and plastic water bottles.
WestJet has also said that it is considering adding something to identify sustainability in hotels in the near future.
Air Canada Vacations does not yet have an identifying eco-label on its hotels, however Air Canada has promised to replace plastic stir sticks on board its flights with wooden sticks by summer 2019.
The latest findings from Booking.com also state that 44 per cent of Canadians say they can't afford sustainable options.
According to Pegi Amarteifio, vice president of public relations for Small Luxury Hotels & Resorts, which has 500 sustainable, luxury boutique properties in its portfolio, there's a misconception that you can't have luxury and sustainability under one roof.
"There's quite a lot of value for your money in choosing a smaller boutique property," Amarteifo said. "The luxury mindset has changed massively, there was a time when it was very much to do with materialism and being ostentatious, and it's really now shifted to an experience-based mindset."
However, given the rise of experiential travel, one way to significantly cut back on your carbon footprint while also have fun is to consider alternative accommodations like homestays, eco-friendly lodges, glamping, smaller boutique properties, and shared accommodations.
In September 2018, G Adventures introduced 'The Ripple Score' an evaluation score for its trips which indicates what percentage of a tour’s local expenditure remains in the local economy.
The average Ripple Score across its 640 scored trips is 93, meaning that 93 per cent of the money spent in-destination across these tours is spent with locally-owned businesses, benefitting local people.
Intrepid Travel is another tour operator known for offering tours that include a local stay. When everybody is under one roof, things many travellers don't consider, like electricity, air conditioning, and major food waste are reduced.
If money is a factor for your guests, incorporating a local stay can actually be a win-win for everybody.
"We use locally-owned hotels that focus on eco-friendly practices wherever possible, and also incorporate homestays into many of our itineraries," said Darshika Jones, director of North America for Intrepid Travel. "By supporting boutique, locally-owned accommodations and having our travelers participate in homestays, we can ensure that tourist dollars are being funnelled directly into the community, supporting the local economy."
The data from Booking.com's sustainability report shows that 68 per cent of Canadians have said they'd like the money they spend on travel to go back into the local community.
Likewise, almost three quarters (72 per cent) of Canadian travellers are seeking authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture, while over two in five (42 per cent) request that travel companies offer tips on how to be more sustainable while traveling and 50 per cent of respondents say that if there was an option to offset their carbon footprint on their vacation accommodation, they would do it.
By offering your clients accommodations that incorporate a local stay or a shared accommodation, not only will they get an immersive look at the destination, but they'll feel good knowing that they've helped out.
3) Eat what's in front of you
Food is a huge part of travel. Have you actually experienced a destination if you haven't tasted its food?
Dependence on imported "comfort foods" from home can actually hurt local economies. Why? Because that food has to come from somewhere, and quite often that means long transport times, which contributes to more CO2 emissions, and more strain on natural resources.
Encourage your guests to choose resorts or hotels that have a commitment in place to focusing on local gastronomy. Sometimes, resorts can't import everything that travellers rely on at home.
Many hotels and resorts are proud to promote their local gastronomy, including Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, which actively supports locals by incorporating sustainable fishing practices— if you can't find a specific seafood on the menu, it's because it wasn't locally-sourced, says Oscar Gonzalez, marketing manager of Iberostar Hotels & Resorts.
Most recently, Iberostar partnered with Cuban company Logística Hotelera del Caribe S.A. (LHC) in order to sustainably revamp menus in its Cuban resorts.
“In the past, travellers sometimes suffered from a lack of stocks, or fresh materials,” Gonzalez explained, “but with these new logistics platforms, we’re able to cover the gap, and we can offer the same standards in all Iberostar Caribbean destinations.”
Over at Unico 20º87º in Riviera Maya, Mexico, fresh, regional ingredients like cilantro, tomatoes, and chili peppers are grown in greenhouses right on the property, and incorporated into the menus at all four restaurants.
Hotels with cooking classes included in your guests stay are another great way to get them thinking more sustainably, while also learning more about the destination.
Many tour operators also offer exceptional food tours that can be a stand-alone trip, or an add-on experience.
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MetaConsumer: Cannabis Industry Overview
Planted: An overview of the Cannabis industry from 2021, and a look at whats happening in 2022!
Against the backdrop of the pandemic, 2021 was seemingly a repeat of 2020. Groundhog Day if you will.
Now whilst that may be true outside of the industrial hemp and commercial marijuana industries, for the cannabis sector 2021 was symbolic of another landmark year.
2021 kicked off with the $7.2bn Acquisition of Epidolex maker GW Pharmaceuticals by Jazz Pharmaceuticals, which In many ways, signaled the vast M&A activities that were to come throughout the year.
We then saw the TerrAscend Corp. acquire the Gage Growth Corp for a total compensable figure that exceeded $540 million. Trulieve Cannabis Corporation acquired Harvest Health & Recreation for $2.1 billion, to create the largest marijuana company in the United States.
Tilray and Aphria merged to form the largest cannabis company in the world, in terms of revenue.
Not only were these M&A’s record-setting, but they were also demonstrative of the strength of the cannabis industry, reflecting the intersection with various industries: pharmaceutical, wellness, media, hemp, and the more generalised global supply chain.
In the United States, the political dialogue surrounding cannabis also made some positive steps. And whilst no federal legislation was passed The federal government did provide frameworks for the research of cannabinoids and other cannabis-derived compounds via the October 2021 Medical Marijuana Research Act and the Cannabidiol and Marijuana Research Expansion Act.
Two themes have driven the growth of the cannabis market during the pandemic, the growing desire among consumers for products that enhanced their health & wellness and the continued legalisation of medical and non-medical cannabis, especially in the US.
Public support for legalisation is high, and corporate support will follow.
According to a poll by Gallup, 2/3 of Americans support legalising cannabis, and in a survey by Pew Research Center, roughly 60% of U.S. adults say cannabis should be legal for medical and recreational use.
Amazons’ announcement to lobby on behalf of federal cannabis reform, has shown that as well as public support, support for cannabis reform has also found its way into the board rooms – if Elon Musk’s appearance on Joe Rogan had left any doubts.
With the backing of one of the world’s largest employers and certainly of the largest in the U.S., the trend is expected to accelerate in 2022.
It wasn’t just the States making the headlines as 2021 saw the first European countries making moves towards legalising adult-use cannabis. Malta officially became the first EU state to legalise adult-use cannabis earlier this month, with Luxembourg and Germany also pledging to legalise.
Other European countries are also beginning to test the waters with legalisation of adult-use cannabis with the two most advanced of these being the Netherlands and Switzerland, with both countries preparing legal pilot trials.
2021, displayed the rise of Cannabis Tech with companies like Dutchie, Leafly, and many others. Dutchie is illustrative of this fact, as it was able to raise $350M in 2021 to double its valuation to $3.75B in less than one year
A complex regulatory landscape and marketing restrictions present several obstacles for the cannabis industry; however, this also presents some of the biggest areas for growth.
The industry’s most potent driving force continues to be to overcome these growing pains, with made-to-measure technology that makes commercial enterprise possible in an industry where commerce isn’t as straightforward as others.
The industry has started to see the value in technology related to most aspects of the business, from inventory management and point-of-sale and delivery to CRM and marketing automation.
Take the United States as an example; due to cannabis’ status as a federally controlled substance, transaction online or using card payments to purchase cannabis is not forthright.
Point-Of-Sale (POS) solutions have enabled consumers and retailers to work around this making it possible to browse and order online but pay-in-person, which in 2021 delivered $9 billion in sales a year.
Without these tools to hand, dispensaries would be sure to miss a significant portion of their orders and have limited means by which to collect revenue.
2022 & The Road Ahead
In a report by New Frontier Data U.S. cannabis sales could rise to $57bn by 2030, and even $72bn if the 18 additional states that seem likely to legalise activate their markets.
Sales of legal cannabis products, including cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals, outside the U.S. and Canada were estimated at $1.4 billion in spending for 2021 and are forecast to grow to $2.2 billion in 2022.
International sales are expected to reach $9.5 billion by 2026, a CAGR of approximately 46% from 2021 with the bulk of that new spending being driven by Germany and Mexico, with France and the United Kingdom as other significant contributors.
The pandemic saw the drive of health and wellness into the forefront of consumer demand– as a number of cannabis derived products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), present natural, plant-based health benefits, this perfectly aligned with the health and wellness industry and saw the cannabis industry benefit as a whole.
Whether it is legislation, normalisation or growing consumer buy-in, the signs are very positive for the industry as a whole.


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Guimaras’ headline inflation rate eased to 4.8% in April 2023 from 6.4 percent in March due to the slow-moving price movements in Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages at 7.5%.
This is based on data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the Retail Price Survey (RPS) of Commodities conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages inflation rate showed the highest share of 82.8% to the slower inflation of Guimaras Province at 4.8% in April, followed by Transport, and Restaurants and Accommodation Services with 10.2 and 2.7% share, respectively,” Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare said.
Losare said the downtrend in prices of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (7.5%) was mainly due to slower price movement of the food groups, specifically tubers, vegetables, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses (2.7%), Fish and other seafood (7.4%) and Fruits and nuts (7.7). Each group shared 56.9, 34.0 and 5.4 percent, respectively to the total inflation rate.
Other food items that pulled down food inflation in April 2023 to a slower rate were: Sugar, confectionery, and desserts with 34.5% inflation and 2.8% share; Oils and fats with 25.8% inflation and 0.6% share; Flour, Bread, and Other Bakery Products, Pasta Products, And Other Cereals with 4.7 percent inflation and 0.2% share; and Corn with 10.6% inflation and 0.1% share.
“Overall, the food inflation in April subsided to 7.7 percent from 10.6 percent a month ago, which recorded an increment of 2.27 percentage points when compared to the 5.5 percent food inflation in April 2022, while the Non-Alcoholic Beverages soared to 6.5 percent in April 2023 against previous months rate at 5.8 percent, yet, slower than the 7.4 percent inflation in the same month a year ago,” Losare said.
Losare also explained that aside from the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, the slower inflation on Transport at -7.4 percent also pushed the headline inflation to a slower pace in April.
This is mainly due to sluggish inflation in Gasoline with -13.1% and 43.8% share; Diesel with -18.2% and 31.3% share; Passenger Transport by Sea and inland Waterway with -56.8% and 24.7% share; Batteries at -2.5% and 0.1% share, and tire repair/tire change with 5.3%, also with 0.1% share.
The 13% inflation in Restaurants and Accommodation Services also contributed to a significant downtrend in the April rate due to the slower price movement in Restaurants, Café, and the-like-full services at 13.3%, lower than the 14.1 percent inflation a month ago.
Losare added that the other commodities which posted lower inflation rates in April 2023 than the previous month were: Recreation, Sport, and Culture (10.2%); Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (4.0%); Health (0.2%); Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (9.3%); Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance (7.3%); Clothing and Footwear (9%); Information and Communication (0.5%).
Only Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels (1.1%), Education Services (-0.3%), and Financial Services (0.0%) maintained their inflation rates from the previous month.
The inflation rate in April 2023 implied that the average price changes of consumer goods and services moved slower to 4.8 percent from 6.4 percent in March 2023.
Losare also highlighted that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 123.3 indicates that a typical Guimarasnon household will require 1,233 pesos in April 2023 to purchase a basket of items worth 1000 pesos in 2018.
The CPI is used to compute the inflation rate for a specific period, including the Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP),” Losare clarified.
“The PPP in Guimaras at 0.81 indicates a 0.04 percentage points depreciation from the PPP value of 0.85 recorded in April 2022,” Losare added.


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Standard & Poor's blew it. With Gillette bowing out of the popular S&P 500 index over the weekend because of the shaving giant's absorption into the Procter & Gamble
But it wasn't enough. Instead, Lennar
Google is the undisputed leader in online advertising, with $4.4 billion rung up on that front over the past year. It is the Internet's most valuable company, pegged with an $88 billion price tag. It's a travesty, with laggards like Janus, Applied Micro Circuits, and JDS Uniphase
It's not as if the index was starving for homebuilders. Lennar is a $9 billion company, sure, but D.R. Horton
Regardless of whether you think Google is currently overvalued, it's still one of the country's most important companies. The fact that it's a fast-growing, dynamic knockout just adds some timely urgency to the S&P's bonehead failure in recognizing Google's market stature. At a time when so much commerce is making the move online, the S&P 500 chose to hand a warm set of keys to a company getting by on bricks and mortar.
Enjoy those concrete shoes, indexers.
Google is not an active recommendation in the Rule Breakers newsletter service, but it's got that offbeat approach to winning it all that seems to permeate many of the newsletter's picks. See what it's all about with afree 30-day trial to Rule Breakers.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz doesn't think he will ever get a room in the 500-room hotel, but he'll sneak a dip in the pool when no one is looking. He does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this story. The Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.


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OpenTrust Inks Deal to Secure more than 4,000 iPhones and iPads for Pharmaceutical CompanyOctober 27, 2010 No Comments
SOURCE: Open Trust Security
OpenTrust, the Next-Gen IT security software publisher, today announced that it will secure wireless network access for users of 4,000 iPhones and iPads for a leading global organization.
The customer is a global pharmaceutical company with a broad portfolio of products and presence across both traditional and emerging markets. It has more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries.
The project will provide secure remote access to the corporate network for the growing number of iPhone and iPad users, thus significantly reducing roaming costs for remotely located employees. The potential demand for this service is expected to grow exponentially over the coming months.
OpenTrust’s innovate Mobile technology establishes unquestionable trust between the IT infrastructure, the mobile device itself and the user, authenticating the devices and the users to the corporate network.
OpenTrust Mobile is rapidly and seamlessly integrated within the existing corporate IT infrastructure for a low TCO solution turning iPhones and iPads into Trusted Devices. In addition to iPad and iPhone, OpenTrust Mobile supports other popular Mobile OS including BlackBerry and Windows.
“iPhones and iPads are proving to be extremely valuable business tools. IT departments are now obliged to find ways to securely connect such devices to the enterprise network. OpenTrust Mobile allows customers to manage digital identities held on mobile devices including iPhone and iPad so that users can remotely and automatically authenticate themselves to corporate networks.” said Olivier Guilbert, CEO of OpenTrust.News


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Ireland To Offer Regulated Online Gambling
19 May 2010
With Ireland’s horse racing industry struggling in the current economic downturn, Brian Cowen, the Irish Head of Government, stated that he is looking to regulated online gambling as his solution to helping the racing industry.
“This will have the additional benefit of facilitating the extension of the tax regime for the betting industry to all those providing online and telephone betting and so underpin funding for the racing industry”, said Cowen.
The legislation that Cowen plans to introduce will require foreign gaming operators to obtain a gaming license in order to advertise and offer their services to Irish residents.
Two of the largest online operators are not in favor of this new idea. William Hill and Ladbrokes moved their operations out of the UK to Gibraltar to get away from the high tax rates in the UK. Since the move, they have experienced large profit increases.
25 March 2010Gaming Lobby Open To Legalized Internet Gambling
The American Gaming Association (AGA) has released in a new policy statement that it is open to the idea of legalized internet gambling as long as the proper regulatory structure was enacted to protect consumers and the integrity of the game. However, while changing its stance on legalized internet gambling, it has still not endorsed any of the bills now before Congress.Internet gambling is estimated to be a $26 billion a year industry.AGA Chief Executive Officer Frqank fahrenkopf Jr.Read full article
27 March 2010The Time To Repeal UIGEA IS Now
With the signing into law of the health care reform legislation, the United States Congress will be free to finally start working on other legislation which has been forced onto back burners for much of the last year. The biggest bill of this group is Barney Frank’s (D-MA) HR 2267, the InternetGambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. As the name implies, this bill would regulate and tax internet gaming, and would protect consumers from racketeering and money laundering.Read full article
10 April 2010Online Gambling Bills To Be Heard Next Week
Rep. Barney Frank’s hard work is about to pay off. His online gambling bills, the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act (HR2266) and Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (HR 2267), are to be heard by the House Committee on Financial Services on April 16. With the provisions of UIGEA set to be enforced starting June 1st, and no more extensions expected, it is a bit of good news for online gambling.Read full article


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Most popular travel websites in India for the week ending April 23 2011.
In today’s edition: Carnival atmosphere for social media savvy cruisers, From Russia with Love for Travelocity, smartphone exploration for Magellan fliers, and more.
A former Miss USA has taken to her blog and posted a video about what she views as an invasive Transportation and Security Administration patdown at Dallas Fort Worth Airport.
Room 77, which enables you to eyeball the view from your hotel room, branched out to three more cities and is taking a two-pronged approach to sourcing room layouts.
Expedia Inc. is in the process of transitioning Expedia brands to a new global technology platform, a move that the CEO says may pressure margins and is a risk.
Luxury vacation rental and trip management service Inspirato has secured a further $11 million round of funding.
Product news, releases, projects and more from the global distribution systems during April 2011 – all here in one easy read.